Microelectrodes in an ophthalmic electrochemical sensor

ABSTRACT

An eye-mountable device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting in front of a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent that selectively reacts with an analyte to generate a sensor measurement related to a concentration of the analyte in a fluid to which the eye-mountable device is exposed. The working electrode can have at least one dimension less than 25 micrometers. The reference electrode can have an area at least five times greater than an area of the working electrode. A portion of the polymeric material can surround the working electrode and the reference electrode such that an electrical current conveyed between the working electrode and the reference electrode is passed through the at least partially surrounding portion of the transparent polymeric material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/031,299 filed on Sep. 19, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/650,418, filed Oct. 12, 2012, both of which contents are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

An electrochemical amperometric sensor measures a concentration of an analyte by measuring a current generated through electrochemical oxidation or reduction reactions of the analyte at a working electrode of the sensor. A reduction reaction occurs when electrons are transferred from the electrode to the analyte, whereas an oxidation reaction occurs when electrons are transferred from the analyte to the electrode. The direction of the electron transfer is dependent upon the electrical potentials applied to the working electrode by a potentiostat. A counter electrode and/or reference electrode is used to complete a circuit with the working electrode and allow the generated current to flow. When the working electrode is appropriately biased, the output current is proportional to the reaction rate, which provides a measure of the concentration of the analyte surrounding the working electrode.

In some examples, a reagent is localized proximate the working electrode to selectively react with a desired analyte. For example, glucose oxidase can be fixed near the working electrode to react with glucose and release hydrogen peroxide, which is then electrochemically detected by the working electrode to indicate the presence of glucose. Other enzymes and/or reagents can be used to detect other analytes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system that includes an eye-mountable device in wireless communication with an external reader.

FIG. 2A is a bottom view of an example eye-mountable device.

FIG. 2B is an aspect view of the example eye-mountable device shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a side cross-section view of the example eye-mountable device shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B while mounted to a corneal surface of an eye.

FIG. 2D is a side cross-section view enhanced to show the tear film layers surrounding the surfaces of the example eye-mountable device when mounted as shown in FIG. 2C.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an example system for electrochemically measuring a tear film analyte concentration.

FIG. 4A is a flowchart of an example process for operating an electrochemical sensor in an eye-mountable device to measure a tear film analyte concentration.

FIG. 4B is a flowchart of an example process for operating an external reader to interrogate an electrochemical sensor in an eye-mountable device to measure a tear film analyte concentration.

FIG. 5A shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from a tear film through a polymeric material.

FIG. 5B shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte in a tear film that contacts the sensor via a channel in a polymeric material.

FIG. 5C shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from a tear film through a thinned region of a polymeric material.

FIG. 5D shows another example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from a tear film layer through a polymeric material.

FIG. 5E shows another example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte a tear film layer that contacts the sensor via a channel in a polymeric material.

FIG. 5F shows another example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from a tear film layer through a thinned region of a polymeric material.

FIG. 6A illustrates one example arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor.

FIG. 6B illustrates another example arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor.

FIG. 7A illustrates an example coplanar arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor.

FIG. 7B illustrates an example non-coplanar arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof. In the figures, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, figures, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

I. Overview

An ophthalmic sensing platform can include a sensor, control electronics and an antenna all situated on a substrate embedded in a polymeric material formed to be contact mounted to an eye. The control electronics can operate the sensor to perform readings and can operate the antenna to wirelessly communicate the readings from the sensor to an external reader via the antenna.

The polymeric material can be in the form of a round lens with a concave curvature configured to mount to a corneal surface of an eye. The substrate can be embedded near the periphery of the polymeric material to avoid interference with incident light received closer to the central region of the cornea. The sensor can be arranged on the substrate to face inward, toward the corneal surface so as to generate clinically relevant readings from near the surface of the cornea and/or from tear fluid interposed between the contact lens and the corneal surface. In some examples, the sensor is entirely embedded within the contact lens material. For example, the sensor can be suspended in the lens material and situated such that the working electrode is less than 10 micrometers from the polymeric surface configured to mount to the cornea. The sensor can generate an output signal indicative of a concentration of an analyte that diffuses through the lens material to the embedded sensor.

The ophthalmic sensing platform can be powered via radiated energy harvested at the sensing platform. Power can be provided by light energizing photovoltaic cells included on the sensing platform. Additionally or alternatively, power can be provided by radio frequency energy harvested from the antenna. A rectifier and/or regulator can be incorporated with the control electronics to generate a stable DC voltage to power the sensing platform from the harvested energy. The antenna can be arranged as a loop of conductive material with leads connected to the control electronics. In some embodiments, such a loop antenna can wirelessly also communicate the sensor readings to an external reader by modifying the impedance of the loop antenna so as to modify backscatter radiation from the antenna.

Human tear fluid contains a variety of inorganic electrolytes (e.g., Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻), organic solutes (e.g., glucose, lactate, etc.), proteins, and lipids. A contact lens with one or more sensors that can measure one or more of these components provides a convenient non-invasive platform to diagnose or monitor health related problems. An example is a glucose sensing contact lens that can potentially be used for diabetic patients to monitor and control their blood glucose level.

An example electrochemical sensor is mounted to a sensing platform embedded in a contact lens and includes a working electrode and a counter/reference electrode (i.e., a counter electrode that can also serve as a reference electrode). The working electrode can have at least one dimension less than 25 micrometers. In some examples, the working electrode has at least one dimension of about 10 micrometers. The counter/reference electrode can have an area at least five times larger than the working electrode. The electrodes can be situated in a variety of geometries, including co-planar parallel bars, concentric rings, co-axial discs, etc. The working electrode and the combination reference-counter electrode can be formed of platinum, palladium, carbon, silver, gold, other suitable conductive materials, and/or combinations of these, etc. A potentiostat can be connected to the two electrodes to apply a potential to the working electrode with respect to the counter/reference electrode while measuring the current through the working electrode. More particularly, the potential applied to the working electrode can be sufficient to generate oxidation and/or reduction reactions of target analytes, in which case the measured current provides an indication of analyte concentration. The control electronics operate the antenna to wirelessly communicate indications of the current to the external reader.

Employing a microelectrode, such as a working electrode with a dimension of approximately 10 micrometers, results in currents in typical signal currents of a few nanoamps. At such low currents, and with such electrode dimensions, the diffusion of analyte molecules to the electrode is sufficiently efficient that the amperometric currents readily reach the steady state as a result of the sustainable replenishment of analyte molecules to the working electrode through diffusion.

Moreover, low currents allow the sensor to be less sensitive to the voltage loss due to resistance of the electrolyte material between the electrodes. That is, sensors with low operating currents generate less voltage loss between their electrodes as a result of their sensor current, even when the material between the electrodes has a relatively high resistance. Thus, where the electrodes are embedded in the polymeric material of the lens, which has a relatively high resistance compared to a typical aqueous solution employed as an electrolyte, the operation of the electrochemical sensor can be enhanced by configuring the working electrode as a microelectrode (e.g., with a dimension less than 25 micrometers, about 10 micrometers, or even less than 10 micrometers).

II. Example Ophthalmic Electronics Platform

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 100 that includes an eye-mountable device 110 in wireless communication with an external reader 180. The exposed regions of the eye-mountable device 110 are made of a polymeric material 120 formed to be contact-mounted to a corneal surface of an eye. A substrate 130 is embedded in the polymeric material 120 to provide a mounting surface for a power supply 140, a controller 150, bio-interactive electronics 160, and a communication antenna 170. The bio-interactive electronics 160 are operated by the controller 150. The power supply 140 supplies operating voltages to the controller 150 and/or the bio-interactive electronics 160. The antenna 170 is operated by the controller 150 to communicate information to and/or from the eye-mountable device 110. The antenna 170, the controller 150, the power supply 140, and the bio-interactive electronics 160 can all be situated on the embedded substrate 130. Because the eye-mountable device 110 includes electronics and is configured to be contact-mounted to an eye, it is also referred to herein as an ophthalmic electronics platform.

To facilitate contact-mounting, the polymeric material 120 can have a concave surface configured to adhere (“mount”) to a moistened corneal surface (e.g., by capillary forces with a tear film coating the corneal surface). Additionally or alternatively, the eye-mountable device 110 can be adhered by a vacuum force between the corneal surface and the polymeric material due to the concave curvature. While mounted with the concave surface against the eye, the outward-facing surface of the polymeric material 120 can have a convex curvature that is formed to not interfere with eye-lid motion while the eye-mountable device 110 is mounted to the eye. For example, the polymeric material 120 can be a substantially transparent curved polymeric disk shaped similarly to a contact lens.

The polymeric material 120 can include one or more biocompatible materials, such as those employed for use in contact lenses or other ophthalmic applications involving direct contact with the corneal surface. The polymeric material 120 can optionally be formed in part from such biocompatible materials or can include an outer coating with such biocompatible materials. The polymeric material 120 can include materials configured to moisturize the corneal surface, such as hydrogels and the like. In some instances, the polymeric material 120 can be a deformable (“non-rigid”) material to enhance wearer comfort. In some instances, the polymeric material 120 can be shaped to provide a predetermined, vision-correcting optical power, such as can be provided by a contact lens.

The substrate 130 includes one or more surfaces suitable for mounting the bio-interactive electronics 160, the controller 150, the power supply 140, and the antenna 170. The substrate 130 can be employed both as a mounting platform for chip-based circuitry (e.g., by flip-chip mounting) and/or as a platform for patterning conductive materials (e.g., gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, copper, aluminum, silver, metals, other conductive materials, combinations of these, etc. to create electrodes, interconnects, antennae, etc. In some embodiments, substantially transparent conductive materials (e.g., indium tin oxide) can be patterned on the substrate 130 to form circuitry, electrodes, etc. For example, the antenna 170 can be formed by depositing a pattern of gold or another conductive material on the substrate 130. Similarly, interconnects 151, 157 between the controller 150 and the bio-interactive electronics 160, and between the controller 150 and the antenna 170, respectively, can be formed by depositing suitable patterns of conductive materials on the substrate 130. A combination of resists, masks, and deposition techniques can be employed to pattern materials on the substrate 130. The substrate 130 can be a relatively rigid material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) or another material sufficient to structurally support the circuitry and/or electronics within the polymeric material 120. The eye-mountable device 110 can alternatively be arranged with a group of unconnected substrates rather than a single substrate. For example, the controller 150 and a bio-sensor or other bio-interactive electronic component can be mounted to one substrate, while the antenna 170 is mounted to another substrate and the two can be electrically connected via the interconnects 157.

In some embodiments, the bio-interactive electronics 160 (and the substrate 130) can be positioned away from the center of the eye-mountable device 110 and thereby avoid interference with light transmission to the eye through the center of the eye-mountable device 110. For example, where the eye-mountable device 110 is shaped as a concave-curved disk, the substrate 130 can be embedded around the periphery (e.g., near the outer circumference) of the disk. In some embodiments, the bio-interactive electronics 160 (and the substrate 130) can be positioned in the center region of the eye-mountable device 110. The bio-interactive electronics 160 and/or substrate 130 can be substantially transparent to incoming visible light to mitigate interference with light transmission to the eye. Moreover, in some embodiments, the bio-interactive electronics 160 can include a pixel array 164 that emits and/or transmits light to be perceived by the eye according to display instructions. Thus, the bio-interactive electronics 160 can optionally be positioned in the center of the eye-mountable device so as to generate perceivable visual cues to a wearer of the eye-mountable device 110, such as by displaying information via the pixel array 164.

The substrate 130 can be shaped as a flattened ring with a radial width dimension sufficient to provide a mounting platform for the embedded electronics components. The substrate 130 can have a thickness sufficiently small to allow the substrate 130 to be embedded in the polymeric material 120 without influencing the profile of the eye-mountable device 110. The substrate 130 can have a thickness sufficiently large to provide structural stability suitable for supporting the electronics mounted thereon. For example, the substrate 130 can be shaped as a ring with a diameter of about 10 millimeters, a radial width of about 1 millimeter (e.g., an outer radius 1 millimeter larger than an inner radius), and a thickness of about 50 micrometers. The substrate 130 can optionally be aligned with the curvature of the eye-mounting surface of the eye-mountable device 110 (e.g., convex surface). For example, the substrate 130 can be shaped along the surface of an imaginary cone between two circular segments that define an inner radius and an outer radius. In such an example, the surface of the substrate 130 along the surface of the imaginary cone defines an inclined surface that is approximately aligned with the curvature of the eye mounting surface at that radius.

The power supply 140 is configured to harvest ambient energy to power the controller 150 and bio-interactive electronics 160. For example, a radio-frequency energy-harvesting antenna 142 can capture energy from incident radio radiation. Additionally or alternatively, solar cell(s) 144 (“photovoltaic cells”) can capture energy from incoming ultraviolet, visible, and/or infrared radiation. Furthermore, an inertial power scavenging system can be included to capture energy from ambient vibrations. The energy harvesting antenna 142 can optionally be a dual-purpose antenna that is also used to communicate information to the external reader 180. That is, the functions of the communication antenna 170 and the energy harvesting antenna 142 can be accomplished with the same physical antenna.

A rectifier/regulator 146 can be used to condition the captured energy to a stable DC supply voltage 141 that is supplied to the controller 150. For example, the energy harvesting antenna 142 can receive incident radio frequency radiation. Varying electrical signals on the leads of the antenna 142 are output to the rectifier/regulator 146. The rectifier/regulator 146 rectifies the varying electrical signals to a DC voltage and regulates the rectified DC voltage to a level suitable for operating the controller 150. Additionally or alternatively, output voltage from the solar cell(s) 144 can be regulated to a level suitable for operating the controller 150. The rectifier/regulator 146 can include one or more energy storage devices to mitigate high frequency variations in the ambient energy gathering antenna 142 and/or solar cell(s) 144. For example, one or more energy storage devices (e.g., a capacitor, an inductor, etc.) can be connected to the output of the rectifier 146 and configured to function as a low-pass filter.

The controller 150 is turned on when the DC supply voltage 141 is provided to the controller 150, and the logic in the controller 150 operates the bio-interactive electronics 160 and the antenna 170. The controller 150 can include logic circuitry configured to operate the bio-interactive electronics 160 so as to interact with a biological environment of the eye-mountable device 110. The interaction could involve the use of one or more components, such as analyte bio-sensor 162, in bio-interactive electronics 160 to obtain input from the biological environment. Additionally or alternatively, the interaction could involve the use of one or more components, such as pixel array 164, to provide an output to the biological environment.

In one example, the controller 150 includes a sensor interface module 152 that is configured to operate analyte bio-sensor 162. The analyte bio-sensor 162 can be, for example, an amperometric electrochemical sensor that includes a working electrode and a reference electrode. A voltage can be applied between the working and reference electrodes to cause an analyte to undergo an electrochemical reaction (e.g., a reduction and/or oxidation reaction) at the working electrode. The electrochemical reaction can generate an amperometric current that can be measured through the working electrode. The amperometric current can be dependent on the analyte concentration. Thus, the amount of the amperometric current that is measured through the working electrode can provide an indication of analyte concentration. In some embodiments, the sensor interface module 152 can be a potentiostat configured to apply a voltage difference between working and reference electrodes while measuring a current through the working electrode.

In some instances, a reagent can also be included to sensitize the electrochemical sensor to one or more desired analytes. For example, a layer of glucose oxidase (“GOD”) proximal to the working electrode can catalyze glucose oxidation to generate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The hydrogen peroxide can then be electrooxidized at the working electrode, which releases electrons to the working electrode, resulting in an amperometric current that can be measured through the working electrode.

The current generated by either reduction or oxidation reactions is approximately proportionate to the reaction rate. Further, the reaction rate is dependent on the rate of analyte molecules reaching the electrochemical sensor electrodes to fuel the reduction or oxidation reactions, either directly or catalytically through a reagent. In a steady state, where analyte molecules diffuse to the electrochemical sensor electrodes from a sampled region at approximately the same rate that additional analyte molecules diffuse to the sampled region from surrounding regions, the reaction rate is approximately proportionate to the concentration of the analyte molecules. The current measured through the working electrode thus provides an indication of the analyte concentration.

The controller 150 can optionally include a display driver module 154 for operating a pixel array 164. The pixel array 164 can be an array of separately programmable light transmitting, light reflecting, and/or light emitting pixels arranged in rows and columns. The individual pixel circuits can optionally include liquid crystal technologies, microelectromechanical technologies, emissive diode technologies, etc. to selectively transmit, reflect, and/or emit light according to information from the display driver module 154. Such a pixel array 164 can also optionally include more than one color of pixels (e.g., red, green, and blue pixels) to render visual content in color. The display driver module 154 can include, for example, one or more data lines providing programming information to the separately programmed pixels in the pixel array 164 and one or more addressing lines for setting groups of pixels to receive such programming information. Such a pixel array 164 situated on the eye can also include one or more lenses to direct light from the pixel array to a focal plane perceivable by the eye.

The controller 150 can also include a communication circuit 156 for sending and/or receiving information via the antenna 170. The communication circuit 156 can optionally include one or more oscillators, mixers, frequency injectors, etc. to modulate and/or demodulate information on a carrier frequency to be transmitted and/or received by the antenna 170. In some examples, the eye-mountable device 110 is configured to indicate an output from a bio-sensor by modulating an impedance of the antenna 170 in a manner that is perceivably by the external reader 180. For example, the communication circuit 156 can cause variations in the amplitude, phase, and/or frequency of backscatter radiation from the antenna 170, and such variations can be detected by the reader 180.

The controller 150 is connected to the bio-interactive electronics 160 via interconnects 151. For example, where the controller 150 includes logic elements implemented in an integrated circuit to form the sensor interface module 152 and/or display driver module 154, a patterned conductive material (e.g., gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, copper, aluminum, silver, metals, combinations of these, etc.) can connect a terminal on the chip to the bio-interactive electronics 160. Similarly, the controller 150 is connected to the antenna 170 via interconnects 157.

It is noted that the block diagram shown in FIG. 1 is described in connection with functional modules for convenience in description. However, embodiments of the eye-mountable device 110 can be arranged with one or more of the functional modules (“sub-systems”) implemented in a single chip, integrated circuit, and/or physical feature. For example, while the rectifier/regulator 146 is illustrated in the power supply block 140, the rectifier/regulator 146 can be implemented in a chip that also includes the logic elements of the controller 150 and/or other features of the embedded electronics in the eye-mountable device 110. Thus, the DC supply voltage 141 that is provided to the controller 150 from the power supply 140 can be a supply voltage that is provided on a chip by rectifier and/or regulator components the same chip. That is, the functional blocks in FIG. 1 shown as the power supply block 140 and controller block 150 need not be implemented as separated modules. Moreover, one or more of the functional modules described in FIG. 1 can be implemented by separately packaged chips electrically connected to one another.

Additionally or alternatively, the energy harvesting antenna 142 and the communication antenna 170 can be implemented with the same physical antenna. For example, a loop antenna can both harvest incident radiation for power generation and communicate information via backscatter radiation.

The external reader 180 includes an antenna 188 (or group of more than one antennae) to send and receive wireless signals 171 to and from the eye-mountable device 110. The external reader 180 also includes a computing system with a processor 186 in communication with a memory 182. The memory 182 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium that can include, without limitation, magnetic disks, optical disks, organic memory, and/or any other volatile (e.g. RAM) or non-volatile (e.g. ROM) storage system readable by the processor 186. The memory 182 can include a data storage 183 to store indications of data, such as sensor readings (e.g., from the analyte bio-sensor 162), program settings (e.g., to adjust behavior of the eye-mountable device 110 and/or external reader 180), etc. The memory 182 can also include program instructions 184 for execution by the processor 186 to cause the external reader 180 to perform processes specified by the instructions 184. For example, the program instructions 184 can cause external reader 180 to provide a user interface that allows for retrieving information communicated from the eye-mountable device 110 (e.g., sensor outputs from the analyte bio-sensor 162). The external reader 180 can also include one or more hardware components for operating the antenna 188 to send and receive the wireless signals 171 to and from the eye-mountable device 110. For example, oscillators, frequency injectors, encoders, decoders, amplifiers, filters, etc. can drive the antenna 188 according to instructions from the processor 186.

The external reader 180 can be a smart phone, digital assistant, or other portable computing device with wireless connectivity sufficient to provide the wireless communication link 171. The external reader 180 can also be implemented as an antenna module that can be plugged in to a portable computing device, such as in an example where the communication link 171 operates at carrier frequencies not commonly employed in portable computing devices. In some instances, the external reader 180 is a special-purpose device configured to be worn relatively near a wearer's eye to allow the wireless communication link 171 to operate with a low power budget. For example, the external reader 180 can be integrated in a piece of jewelry such as a necklace, earing, etc. or integrated in an article of clothing worn near the head, such as a hat, headband, etc.

In an example where the eye-mountable device 110 includes an analyte bio-sensor 162, the system 100 can be operated to monitor the analyte concentration in tear film on the surface of the eye. Thus, the eye-mountable device 110 can be configured as a platform for an ophthalmic analyte bio-sensor. The tear film is an aqueous layer secreted from the lacrimal gland to coat the eye. The tear film is in contact with the blood supply through capillaries in the structure of the eye and includes many biomarkers found in blood that are analyzed to characterize a person's health condition(s). For example, the tear film includes glucose, calcium, sodium, cholesterol, potassium, other biomarkers, etc. The biomarker concentrations in the tear film can be systematically different than the corresponding concentrations of the biomarkers in the blood, but a relationship between the two concentration levels can be established to map tear film biomarker concentration values to blood concentration levels. For example, the tear film concentration of glucose can be established (e.g., empirically determined) to be approximately one tenth the corresponding blood glucose concentration. Thus, measuring tear film analyte concentration levels provides a non-invasive technique for monitoring biomarker levels in comparison to blood sampling techniques performed by lancing a volume of blood to be analyzed outside a person's body. Moreover, the ophthalmic analyte bio-sensor platform disclosed here can be operated substantially continuously to enable real time monitoring of analyte concentrations.

To perform a reading with the system 100 configured as a tear film analyte monitor, the external reader 180 can emit radio frequency radiation 171 that is harvested to power the eye-mountable device 110 via the power supply 140. Radio frequency electrical signals captured by the energy harvesting antenna 142 (and/or the communication antenna 170) are rectified and/or regulated in the rectifier/regulator 146 and a regulated DC supply voltage 147 is provided to the controller 150. The radio frequency radiation 171 thus turns on the electronic components within the eye-mountable device 110. Once turned on, the controller 150 operates the analyte bio-sensor 162 to measure an analyte concentration level. For example, the sensor interface module 152 can apply a voltage between a working electrode and a reference electrode in the analyte bio-sensor 162. The applied voltage can be sufficient to cause the analyte to undergo an electrochemical reaction at the working electrode and thereby generate an amperometric current that can be measured through the working electrode. The measured amperometric current can provide the sensor reading (“result”) indicative of the analyte concentration. The controller 150 can operate the antenna 170 to communicate the sensor reading back to the external reader 180 (e.g., via the communication circuit 156). The sensor reading can be communicated by, for example, modulating an impedance of the communication antenna 170 such that the modulation in impedance is detected by the external reader 180. The modulation in antenna impedance can be detected by, for example, backscatter radiation from the antenna 170.

In some embodiments, the system 100 can operate to non-continuously (“intermittently”) supply energy to the eye-mountable device 110 to power the controller 150 and electronics 160. For example, radio frequency radiation 171 can be supplied to power the eye-mountable device 110 long enough to carry out a tear film analyte concentration measurement and communicate the results. For example, the supplied radio frequency radiation can provide sufficient power to apply a potential between a working electrode and a reference electrode sufficient to induce electrochemical reactions at the working electrode, measure the resulting amperometric current, and modulate the antenna impedance to adjust the backscatter radiation in a manner indicative of the measured amperometric current. In such an example, the supplied radio frequency radiation 171 can be considered an interrogation signal from the external reader 180 to the eye-mountable device 110 to request a measurement. By periodically interrogating the eye-mountable device 110 (e.g., by supplying radio frequency radiation 171 to temporarily turn the device on) and storing the sensor results (e.g., via the data storage 183), the external reader 180 can accumulate a set of analyte concentration measurements over time without continuously powering the eye-mountable device 110.

FIG. 2A is a bottom view of an example eye-mountable electronic device 210. FIG. 2B is an aspect view of the example eye-mountable electronic device shown in FIG. 2A. It is noted that relative dimensions in FIGS. 2A and 2B are not necessarily to scale, but have been rendered for purposes of explanation only in describing the arrangement of the example eye-mountable electronic device 210. The eye-mountable device 210 is formed of a polymeric material 220 shaped as a curved disk. The polymeric material 220 can be a substantially transparent material to allow incident light to be transmitted to the eye while the eye-mountable device 210 is mounted to the eye. The polymeric material 220 can be a biocompatible material similar to those employed to form vision correction and/or cosmetic contact lenses in optometry, such as polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), polymethyl methacrylate (“PMMA”), silicone hydrogels, polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (polyHEMA) based hydrogels, and combinations of these, etc. The polymeric material 220 can be formed with one side having a concave surface 226 suitable to fit over a corneal surface of an eye. The opposing side of the disk can have a convex surface 224 that does not interfere with eyelid motion while the eye-mountable device 210 is mounted to the eye. A circular outer side edge 228 connects the concave surface 224 and convex surface 226.

The eye-mountable device 210 can have dimensions similar to a vision correction and/or cosmetic contact lenses, such as a diameter of approximately 1 centimeter, and a thickness of about 0.1 to about 0.5 millimeters. However, the diameter and thickness values are provided for explanatory purposes only. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the eye-mountable device 210 can be selected according to the size and/or shape of the corneal surface of the wearer's eye.

The polymeric material 220 can be formed with a curved shape in a variety of ways. For example, techniques similar to those employed to form vision-correction contact lenses, such as heat molding, injection molding, spin casting, etc. can be employed to form the polymeric material 220. While the eye-mountable device 210 is mounted in an eye, the convex surface 224 faces outward to the ambient environment while the concave surface 226 faces inward, toward the corneal surface. The convex surface 224 can therefore be considered an outer, top surface of the eye-mountable device 210 whereas the concave surface 226 can be considered an inner, bottom surface. The “bottom” view shown in FIG. 2A is facing the concave surface 226. From the bottom view shown in FIG. 2A, the outer periphery 222, near the outer circumference of the curved disk is curved out of the page, whereas the center region 221, near the center of the disk is curved in to the page.

A substrate 230 is embedded in the polymeric material 220. The substrate 230 can be embedded to be situated along the outer periphery 222 of the polymeric material 220, away from the center region 221. The substrate 230 does not interfere with vision because it is too close to the eye to be in focus and is positioned away from the center region 221 where incident light is transmitted to the eye-sensing portions of the eye. Moreover, the substrate 230 can be formed of a transparent material to further mitigate any effects on visual perception.

The substrate 230 can be shaped as a flat, circular ring (e.g., a disk with a central hole). The flat surface of the substrate 230 (e.g., along the radial width) is a platform for mounting electronics such as chips (e.g., via flip-chip mounting) and for patterning conductive materials (e.g., via deposition techniques) to form electrodes, antenna(e), and/or connections. The substrate 230 and the polymeric material 220 can be approximately cylindrically symmetric about a common central axis. The substrate 230 can have, for example, a diameter of about 10 millimeters, a radial width of about 1 millimeter (e.g., an outer radius 1 millimeter greater than an inner radius), and a thickness of about 50 micrometers. However, these dimensions are provided for example purposes only, and in no way limit the present disclosure. The substrate 230 can be implemented in a variety of different form factors.

A loop antenna 270, controller 250, and bio-interactive electronics 260 are disposed on the embedded substrate 230. The controller 250 can be a chip including logic elements configured to operate the bio-interactive electronics 260 and the loop antenna 270. The controller 250 is electrically connected to the loop antenna 270 by interconnects 257 also situated on the substrate 230. Similarly, the controller 250 is electrically connected to the bio-interactive electronics 260 by an interconnect 251. The interconnects 251, 257, the loop antenna 270, and any conductive electrodes (e.g., for an electrochemical analyte bio-sensor, etc.) can be formed from conductive materials patterned on the substrate 230 by a process for precisely patterning such materials, such as deposition, lithography, etc. The conductive materials patterned on the substrate 230 can be, for example, gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, carbon, aluminum, copper, silver, silver-chloride, conductors formed from noble materials, metals, combinations of these, etc.

As shown in FIG. 2A, which is a view facing the concave surface 226 of the eye-mountable device 210, the bio-interactive electronics module 260 is mounted to a side of the substrate 230 facing the concave surface 226. Where the bio-interactive electronics module 260 includes an analyte bio-sensor, for example, mounting such a bio-sensor on the substrate 230 to be close to the concave surface 226 allows the bio-sensor to sense analyte concentrations in tear film near the surface of the eye. However, the electronics, electrodes, etc. situated on the substrate 230 can be mounted to either the “inward” facing side (e.g., situated closest to the concave surface 226) or the “outward” facing side (e.g., situated closest to the convex surface 224). Moreover, in some embodiments, some electronic components can be mounted on one side of the substrate 230, while other electronic components are mounted to the opposing side, and connections between the two can be made through conductive materials passing through the substrate 230.

The loop antenna 270 is a layer of conductive material patterned along the flat surface of the substrate to form a flat conductive ring. In some instances, the loop antenna 270 can be formed without making a complete loop. For instance, the loop antenna 270 can have a cutout to allow room for the controller 250 and bio-interactive electronics 260, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. However, the loop antenna 270 can also be arranged as a continuous strip of conductive material that wraps entirely around the flat surface of the substrate 230 one or more times. For example, a strip of conductive material with multiple windings can be patterned on the side of the substrate 230 opposite the controller 250 and bio-interactive electronics 260. Interconnects between the ends of such a wound antenna (e.g., the antenna leads) can be passed through the substrate 230 to the controller 250.

FIG. 2C is a side cross-section view of the example eye-mountable electronic device 210 while mounted to a corneal surface 22 of an eye 10. FIG. 2D is a close-in side cross-section view enhanced to show the tear film layers 40, 42 surrounding the exposed surfaces 224, 226 of the example eye-mountable device 210. It is noted that relative dimensions in FIGS. 2C and 2D are not necessarily to scale, but have been rendered for purposes of explanation only in describing the arrangement of the example eye-mountable electronic device 210. For example, the total thickness of the eye-mountable device can be about 200 micrometers, while the thickness of the tear film layers 40, 42 can each be about 10 micrometers, although this ratio may not be reflected in the drawings. Some aspects are exaggerated to allow for illustration and facilitate explanation.

The eye 10 includes a cornea 20 that is covered by bringing the upper eyelid 30 and lower eyelid 32 together over the top of the eye 10. Incident light is received by the eye 10 through the cornea 20, where light is optically directed to light sensing elements of the eye 10 (e.g., rods and cones, etc.) to stimulate visual perception. The motion of the eyelids 30, 32 distributes a tear film across the exposed corneal surface 22 of the eye 10. The tear film is an aqueous solution secreted by the lacrimal gland to protect and lubricate the eye 10. When the eye-mountable device 210 is mounted in the eye 10, the tear film coats both the concave and convex surfaces 224, 226 with an inner layer 40 (along the concave surface 226) and an outer layer 42 (along the convex layer 224). The tear film layers 40, 42 can be about 10 micrometers in thickness and together account for about 10 microliters.

The tear film layers 40, 42 are distributed across the corneal surface 22 and/or the convex surface 224 by motion of the eyelids 30, 32. For example, the eyelids 30, 32 raise and lower, respectively, to spread a small volume of tear film across the corneal surface 22 and/or the convex surface 224 of the eye-mountable device 210. The tear film layer 40 on the corneal surface 22 also facilitates mounting the eye-mountable device 210 by capillary forces between the concave surface 226 and the corneal surface 22. In some embodiments, the eye-mountable device 210 can also be held over the eye in part by vacuum forces against corneal surface 22 due to the concave curvature of the eye-facing concave surface 226.

As shown in the cross-sectional views in FIGS. 2C and 2D, the substrate 230 can be inclined such that the flat mounting surfaces of the substrate 230 are approximately parallel to the adjacent portion of the concave surface 226. As described above, the substrate 230 is a flattened ring with an inward-facing surface 232 (closer to the concave surface 226 of the polymeric material 220) and an outward-facing surface 234 (closer to the convex surface 224). The substrate 230 can have electronic components and/or patterned conductive materials mounted to either or both mounting surfaces 232, 234. As shown in FIG. 2D, the bio-interactive electronics 260, controller 250, and conductive interconnect 251 are mounted on the inward-facing surface 232 such that the bio-interactive electronics 260 are relatively closer in proximity to the corneal surface 22 than if they were mounted on the outward-facing surface 234. However, the bio-interactive electronics 260 (and other components) can be mounted on the outward-facing surface 234 of the substrate 230 to be closer to the outer tear film layer 42 than the inner tear film layer 40.

III. An Ophthalmic Electrochemical Analyte Sensor

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a system 300 for electrochemically measuring a tear film analyte concentration. The system 300 includes an eye-mountable device 310 with embedded electronic components powered by an external reader 340. The eye-mountable device 310 includes an antenna 312 for capturing radio frequency radiation 341 from the external reader 340. The eye-mountable device 310 includes a rectifier 314, an energy storage 316, and regulator 318 for generating power supply voltages 330, 332 to operate the embedded electronics. The eye-mountable device 310 includes an electrochemical sensor 320 with a working electrode 322 and a reference electrode 323 driven by a sensor interface 321. The eye-mountable device 310 includes hardware logic 324 for communicating results from the sensor 320 to the external reader 340 by modulating (325) the impedance of the antenna 312. Similar to the eye-mountable devices 110, 210 discussed above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, the eye-mountable device 310 can include a mounting substrate embedded within a polymeric material configured to be mounted to an eye. The electrochemical sensor 320 can be situated on a mounting surface of such a substrate proximate the surface of the eye (e.g., corresponding to the bio-interactive electronics 260 on the inward-facing side 232 of the substrate 230) to measure analyte concentration in a tear film layer interposed between the eye-mountable device 310 and the eye (e.g., the inner tear film layer 40 between the eye-mountable device 210 and the corneal surface 22).

With reference to FIG. 3, the electrochemical sensor 320 measures analyte concentration by applying a voltage between the electrodes 322, 323 that is sufficient to cause products of the analyte catalyzed by the reagent to electrochemically react (e.g., a reduction and/or oxidization reaction) at the working electrode 322. The electrochemical reactions at the working electrode 322 generate an amperometric current that can be measured at the working electrode 322. The sensor interface 321 can, for example, apply a reduction voltage between the working electrode 322 and the reference electrode 323 to reduce products from the reagent-catalyzed analyte at the working electrode 322. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor interface 321 can apply an oxidation voltage between the working electrode 322 and the reference electrode 323 to oxidize the products from the reagent-catalyzed analyte at the working electrode 322. The sensor interface 321 measures the amperometric current and provides an output to the hardware logic 324. The sensor interface 321 can include, for example, a potentiostat connected to both electrodes 322, 323 to simultaneously apply a voltage between the working electrode 322 and the reference electrode 323 and measure the resulting amperometric current through the working electrode 322.

The rectifier 314, energy storage 316, and voltage regulator 318 operate to harvest energy from received radio frequency radiation 341. The radio frequency radiation 341 causes radio frequency electrical signals on leads of the antenna 312. The rectifier 314 is connected to the antenna leads and converts the radio frequency electrical signals to a DC voltage. The energy storage 316 (e.g., capacitor) is connected across the output of the rectifier 314 to filter high frequency noise on the DC voltage. The regulator 318 receives the filtered DC voltage and outputs both a digital supply voltage 330 to operate the hardware logic 324 and an analog supply voltage 332 to operate the electrochemical sensor 320. For example, the analog supply voltage can be a voltage used by the sensor interface 321 to apply a voltage between the sensor electrodes 322, 323 to generate an amperometric current. The digital supply voltage 330 can be a voltage suitable for driving digital logic circuitry, such as approximately 1.2 volts, approximately 3 volts, etc. Reception of the radio frequency radiation 341 from the external reader 340 (or another source, such as ambient radiation, etc.) causes the supply voltages 330, 332 to be supplied to the sensor 320 and hardware logic 324. While powered, the sensor 320 and hardware logic 324 are configured to generate and measure an amperometric current and communicate the results.

The sensor results can be communicated back to the external reader 340 via backscatter radiation 343 from the antenna 312. The hardware logic 324 receives the output current from the electrochemical sensor 320 and modulates (325) the impedance of the antenna 312 in accordance with the amperometric current measured by the sensor 320. The antenna impedance and/or change in antenna impedance is detected by the external reader 340 via the backscatter signal 343. The external reader 340 can include an antenna front end 342 and logic components 344 to decode the information indicated by the backscatter signal 343 and provide digital inputs to a processing system 346. The external reader 340 associates the backscatter signal 343 with the sensor result (e.g., via the processing system 346 according to a pre-programmed relationship associating impedance of the antenna 312 with output from the sensor 320). The processing system 346 can then store the indicated sensor results (e.g., tear film analyte concentration values) in a local memory and/or a network-connected memory.

In some embodiments, one or more of the features shown as separate functional blocks can be implemented (“packaged”) on a single chip. For example, the eye-mountable device 310 can be implemented with the rectifier 314, energy storage 316, voltage regulator 318, sensor interface 321, and the hardware logic 324 packaged together in a single chip or controller module. Such a controller can have interconnects (“leads”) connected to the loop antenna 312 and the sensor electrodes 322, 323. Such a controller operates to harvest energy received at the loop antenna 312, apply a voltage between the electrodes 322, 323 sufficient to develop an amperometric current, measure the amperometric current, and indicate the measured current via the antenna 312 (e.g., through the backscatter radiation 343).

FIG. 4A is a flowchart of a process 400 for operating an amperometric sensor in an eye-mountable device to measure a tear film analyte concentration. Radio frequency radiation is received at an antenna in an eye-mountable device including an embedded electrochemical sensor (402). Electrical signals due to the received radiation are rectified and regulated to power the electrochemical sensor and associated controller (404). For example, a rectifier and/or regulator can be connected to the antenna leads to output a DC supply voltage for powering the electrochemical sensor and/or controller. A voltage sufficient to cause electrochemical reactions at the working electrode is applied between a working electrode and a reference electrode on the electrochemical sensor (406). An amperometric current is measured through the working electrode (408). For example, a potentiostat can apply a voltage between the working and reference electrodes while measuring the resulting amperometric current through the working electrode. The measured amperometric current is wirelessly indicated with the antenna (410). For example, backscatter radiation can be manipulated to indicate the sensor result by modulating the antenna impedance.

FIG. 4B is a flowchart of a process 420 for operating an external reader to interrogate an amperometric sensor in an eye-mountable device to measure a tear film analyte concentration. Radio frequency radiation is transmitted to an electrochemical sensor mounted in an eye from the external reader (422). The transmitted radiation is sufficient to power the electrochemical sensor with energy from the radiation for long enough to perform a measurement and communicate the results (422). For example, the radio frequency radiation used to power the electrochemical sensor can be similar to the radiation 341 transmitted from the external reader 340 to the eye-mountable device 310 described in connection with FIG. 3 above. The external reader then receives backscatter radiation indicating the measurement by the electrochemical analyte sensor (424). For example, the backscatter radiation can be similar to the backscatter signals 343 sent from the eye-mountable device 310 to the external reader 340 described in connection with FIG. 3 above. The backscatter radiation received at the external reader is then associated with a tear film analyte concentration (426). In some cases, the analyte concentration values can be stored in the external reader memory (e.g., in the processing system 346) and/or a network-connected data storage.

For example, the sensor result (e.g., the measured amperometric current) can be encoded in the backscatter radiation by modulating the impedance of the backscattering antenna. The external reader can detect the antenna impedance and/or change in antenna impedance based on a frequency, amplitude, and/or phase shift in the backscatter radiation. The sensor result can then be extracted by associating the impedance value with the sensor result by reversing the encoding routine employed within the eye-mountable device. Thus, the reader can map a detected antenna impedance value to an amperometric current value. The amperometric current value is approximately proportionate to the tear film analyte concentration with a sensitivity (e.g., scaling factor) relating the amperometric current and the associated tear film analyte concentration. The sensitivity value can be determined in part according to empirically derived calibration factors, for example.

IV. Analyte Transmission to the Electrochemical Sensor

FIG. 5A shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte from the inner tear film layer 40 that diffuses through the polymeric material 220. The electrochemical sensor can be similar to the electrochemical sensor 320 discussed in connection with FIG. 3 and includes a working electrode 520 and a reference electrode 522. The working electrode 520 and the reference electrode 522 are each mounted on an inward-facing side of the substrate 230. The substrate 230 is embedded in the polymeric material 220 of the eye-mountable device 210 such that the electrodes 520, 522 of the electrochemical sensor are entirely covered by an overlapping portion 512 of the polymeric material 220. The electrodes 520, 522 in the electrochemical sensor are thus separated from the inner tear film layer 40 by the thickness of the overlapping portion 512. The thickness of the overlapping region 512 can be approximately 10 micrometers, for example.

An analyte in the tear film diffuses through the overlapping portion 512 to the working electrode 520. The diffusion of the analyte from the inner tear film layer 40 to the working electrode 520 is illustrated by the directional arrow 510. The current measured through the working electrode 520 is based on the electrochemical reaction rate at the working electrode 520, which in turn is based on the amount of analyte diffusing to the working electrode 520. The amount of analyte diffusing to the working electrode 520 can in turn be influenced both by the concentration of analyte in the inner tear film layer 40, the permeability of the polymeric material 220 to the analyte, and the thickness of the overlapping region 512 (i.e., the thickness of polymeric material the analyte diffuses through to reach the working electrode 520 from the inner tear film layer 40). In the steady state approximation, the analyte is resupplied to the inner tear film layer 40 by surrounding regions of the tear film 40 at the same rate that the analyte is consumed at the working electrode 520. Because the rate at which the analyte is resupplied to the probed region of the inner tear film layer 40 is approximately proportionate to the tear film concentration of the analyte, the current (i.e., the electrochemical reaction rate) is an indication of the concentration of the analyte in the inner tear film layer 40.

Where the polymeric material is relatively impermeable to the analyte of interest, less analyte reaches the electrodes 520, 522 from the inner tear film layer 40 and the measured amperometric current is therefore systematically lower, and vice versa. The systematic effects on the measured amperometric currents can be accounted for by a scaling factor in relating measured amperometric currents to tear film concentrations. Although after the eye-mountable device is in place over the eye for a period of time, the analyte concentration itself can be influenced by the permeability of the polymeric material 220 if the analyte is one which is supplied to the tear film by the atmosphere, such as molecular oxygen. For example, if the polymeric material 220 is completely impermeable to molecular oxygen, the molecular oxygen concentration of the inner tear film layer 40 can gradually decrease over time while the eye is covered, such as by an exponential decay with a half life given approximately by the time for half of the oxygen molecules in the inner tear film layer 40 to diffuse into the corneal tissue. On the other hand, where the polymeric material 220 is completely oxygen permeable, the molecular oxygen concentration of the inner tear film layer 40 can be largely unaffected over time, because molecular oxygen that diffuses into the corneal tissue is replaced by molecular oxygen that permeates through the polymeric material 220 from the atmosphere.

FIG. 5B shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte from the tear film that contacts the sensor via a channel 530 in the polymeric material 220. The channel 530 has side walls 532 that connect the concave surface 226 of the polymeric material 220 to the substrate 230 and/or electrodes 520, 522. The channel 530 can be formed by pressure molding or casting the polymeric material 220 for example. The height of the channel 530 (e.g., the length of the sidewalls 532) corresponds to the separation between the inward-facing surface of the substrate 230 and the concave surface 226. That is, where the substrate 230 is positioned about 10 micrometers from the concave surface 226, the channel 530 is approximately 10 micrometers in height. The channel 530 fluidly connects the inner tear film layer 40 to the sensor electrodes 520, 522. Thus, the working electrode 520 is in direct contact with the inner tear film layer 40. As a result, analyte transmission to the working electrode 520 is unaffected by the permeability of the polymeric material 220 to the analyte of interest. The indentation 542 in the concave surface 226 also creates a localized increased volume of the tear film 40 near the sensor electrodes 520, 522. The volume of analyte tear film that contributes analytes to the electrochemical reaction at the working electrode 520 (e.g., by diffusion) is thereby increased. The sensor shown in FIG. 5B is therefore less susceptible to a diffusion-limited electrochemical reaction, because a relatively greater local volume of tear film surrounds the sampled region to contribute analytes to the electrochemical reaction.

FIG. 5C shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte from the tear film 40 that diffuses through a thinned region 542 of the polymeric material 220. The thinned region 542 can be formed as an indentation 540 in the concave surface 226 (e.g., by molding, casting, etc.). The thinned region 542 of the polymeric material 220 substantially encapsulates the electrodes 520, 522, so as to maintain a biocompatible coating between the cornea 20 and the working electrodes 520, 522. The indentation 542 in the concave surface 226 also creates a localized increased volume of the tear film 40 near the sensor electrodes 520, 522. A directional arrow 544 illustrates the diffusion of the analyte from the inner tear film layer 40 to the working electrode 520.

FIG. 5D shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from an outer tear film 42 layer through a polymeric material 220. The working electrode 520 and the reference electrode 522 are each mounted on an outward-facing side of the substrate 230 (e.g., the outward-facing surface 234 discussed in connection with FIG. 2 above). The electrodes 520, 522 of the electrochemical sensor are entirely covered by an overlapping portion 554 of the polymeric material 220. The electrodes 520, 522 in the electrochemical sensor are thus separated from the outer tear film layer 42 by the thickness of the overlapping portion 554. The thickness of the overlapping region 554 can be approximately 10 micrometers, for example. An analyte in the outer tear film layer 42 diffuses through the overlapping portion 554 to the working electrode 520. The diffusion of the analyte from the outer tear film layer 42 to the working electrode 520 is illustrated by the directional arrow 560.

FIG. 5E shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte in an outer tear film layer 42 that contacts the sensor via a channel 562 in a polymeric material 220. The channel 562 connects the convex surface 224 of the polymeric material 220 to the substrate 230 and/or electrodes 520, 522. The channel 562 can be formed by pressure molding or casting the polymeric material 220 for example. The height of the channel 562 corresponds to the separation between the outward-facing surface of the substrate 230 (e.g., the outward-facing surface 234 discussed in connection with FIG. 2 above) and the convex surface 224. That is, where the substrate 230 is positioned about 10 micrometers from the convex 224, the channel 562 is approximately 10 micrometers in height. The channel 562 fluidly connects the outer tear film layer 42 to the sensor electrodes 520, 522. Thus, the working electrode 520 is in direct contact with the outer tear film layer 42. As a result, analyte transmission to the working electrode 520 is unaffected by the permeability of the polymeric material 220 to the analyte of interest. The channel 562 in the convex surface 224 also creates a localized increased volume of the tear film 42 near the sensor electrodes 520, 522. The volume of analyte tear film that contributes analytes to the electrochemical reaction at the working electrode 520 (e.g., by diffusion) is thereby increased. The sensor shown in FIG. 5E is therefore less susceptible to a diffusion-limited electrochemical reaction, because a relatively greater local volume of tear film surrounds the sampled region to contribute analytes to the electrochemical reaction.

FIG. 5F shows an example configuration in which an electrochemical sensor detects an analyte that diffuses from an outer tear film layer 42 through a thinned region of a polymeric material 220. The thinned region 556 can be formed as an indentation 564 in the convex surface 224 (e.g., by molding, casting, etc.). The thinned region 556 of the polymeric material 220 substantially encapsulates the electrodes 520, 522. The indentation 564 in the convex surface 224 also creates a localized increased volume of the tear film 42 near the sensor electrodes 520, 522. A directional arrow 566 illustrates the diffusion of the analyte from the outer tear film layer 42 to the working electrode 520.

FIG. 5A through 5C illustrate arrangements in which an electrochemical sensor is mounted on a surface of the substrate 230 proximate the concave surface 226 (e.g., the inward-facing surface 232 discussed in connection with FIG. 2 above). An electrochemical sensor arranged as shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C is thus configured to detect an analyte concentration of the inner tear film layer 40, which diffuses into the polymeric material 220 from the concave surface 226. FIGS. 5D through 5F illustrate arrangements in which an electrochemical sensor is mounted on a surface of the substrate 230 proximate the convex surface 224 (e.g., the outward-facing surface 234 discussed in connection with FIG. 2 above). An electrochemical sensor arranged as shown in FIGS. 5D through 5F is thus configured to detect an analyte concentration of the outer tear film layer 42, which diffuses into the polymeric material 220 from the convex surface 224. By situating the electrochemical sensor on the outward-facing surface of the substrate 230, as shown in FIGS. 5D through 5F, for example, the electrodes 520, 522 are separated from the cornea 20 of the eye 10 by the substrate 230. The substrate 230 can thus shield the cornea 20 from damage associated with direct exposure to the electrodes 520, 522, such as may occur due to puncturing or wearing through the polymeric material 220, for example.

V. Example Microelectrode Arrangements

FIG. 6A illustrates one example arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor 601. The arrangement illustrated by FIG. 6A is not drawn to scale, but instead is provided for explanatory purposes to describe an example arrangement. The electrochemical sensor 601 can be included in an eye-mountable device for detecting a tear film concentration of an analyte (e.g., the eye-mountable devices described in connection with FIGS. 1-3 above). The electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode 620 and a reference electrode 622 arranged as conductive bars disposed on a substrate. The conductive bars can be arranged in parallel such that the separation between the electrodes 620, 622 is substantially uniform along the respective lengths of the electrodes 620, 622. In some embodiments, at least one of the dimensions of the working electrode 620, such as its width, can be less than 100 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 620 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension of about 25 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 620 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension of about 10 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 620 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension less than 10 micrometers. The thickness (e.g., height on the substrate) can be 1 micrometer or less. The thickness dimension can be, for example, between about 1 micrometer and about 50 nanometer, such as approximately 500 nanometers, approximately 250 nanometers, approximately 100 nanometers, approximately 50 nanometers, etc. For example, the bar-shaped working electrode 620 can be a conductive material patterned on a substrate to have a width of about 25 micrometers, a length of about 1000 micrometers, and a thickness of about 0.5 micrometers. In some embodiments, the reference electrode 622 can be larger in area (e.g., length multiplied by width) than the working electrode 620. For example, the reference electrode 622 have an area more than five times greater than the area of the working electrode 620.

The electrodes 620, 622 can each be formed by patterning conductive materials on a substrate (e.g., by deposition techniques, lithography techniques, etc.). The conductive materials can be gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, silver, silver-chloride, aluminum, carbon, metals, conductors formed from noble materials, combinations of these, etc. In some embodiments, the working electrode 620 can be formed substantially from platinum (Pt). In some embodiments, the reference electrode 622 can be formed substantially from silver silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl).

The electrodes 620, 622 are each electrically connected to a potentiostat 610 which operates the sensor 601 by applying a voltage difference ΔV between the working electrode 620 and the reference electrode 622. The voltage difference ΔV can be a reduction voltage sufficient to cause a reduction reaction at the working electrode 620 that releases electrons from the working electrode 620 and thereby generates an amperometric current that can be measured through the working electrode 620. Additionally or alternatively, the voltage difference ΔV can be an oxidization voltage sufficient to cause an oxidization reaction at the working electrode 620 that contributes electrons to the working electrode 620 and thereby generates an amperometric current that can be measured through the working electrode 620. The potentiostat 610 is powered by a supply voltage Vsupply and outputs an indication of the amperometric current.

FIG. 6B illustrates another example arrangement for electrodes in an electrochemical sensor 602. The arrangement illustrated by FIG. 6B is not drawn to scale, but instead is provided for explanatory purposes to describe the example arrangement. The electrochemical sensor 602 can be included in an eye-mountable device for detecting tear film oxygen concentrations and/or other analytes (e.g., the eye-mountable devices described in connection with FIGS. 1-3 above). The electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode 630 and a reference electrode 632 arranged as flattened rings situated on a substrate. The flattened rings can be arranged concentrically (e.g., with a common center point) such that the separation between the electrodes 630, 632 is substantially uniform along the circumferential edges of the respective electrodes 630, 632. The reference electrode 632 is illustrated as an outer ring, with the working electrode 630 as an inner ring, but this inner/outer relationship can be reversed in some implementations. In some embodiments, at least one of the dimensions of the working electrode 630, such as its radial width, can be less than 100 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 630 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension of about 25 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 630 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension of about 10 micrometers. In some embodiments, the working electrode 630 is a microelectrode with at least one dimension less than 10 micrometers. The thickness (e.g., height on the substrate) can be 1 micrometer or less. For example, the flattened-ring-shaped working electrode 630 can be a conductive material patterned on a substrate to have a circumference of about 1000 micrometers, a radial width of about 25 micrometers, and a thickness of about 0.5 micrometers.

The electrodes 630, 632 can be formed by the materials and patterning techniques described above in connection with the electrodes 620, 622 in FIG. 6A. The electrodes 630, 632 can also be operated by the potentiostat 610 to measure an amperometric current similarly to the discussion of the potentiostat 610 above in connection with FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A illustrates an example coplanar arrangement for electrodes in a two-electrode electrochemical sensor. In this configuration, the two electrodes, a working electrode 720 and a reference electrode 722, are mounted on a substrate 730 that is covered by a layer of polymeric material 710. In FIG. 7A, the portion 711 of the polymeric material 710 that covers electrodes 720 and 720 is indicated by dashed lines in order to show electrodes 720 and 722. Thus, in this example, the two-electrode electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode 720 and a reference electrode 722 that are mounted on the same surface of substrate 730, and polymeric material 710 forms a layer encapsulating both the working electrode 720 and the reference electrode 722. For example, the substrate 730 can be shaped as a flattened ring suitable for being mounted within an eye-mountable polymeric material, similar to the substrates described above in connection with FIGS. 1-5. The polymeric material 710 can have an exposed surface 714 that is suitable for contact mounting to an eye, similar to the concave surface 226 of the eye-mountable device 210 discussed above in connection with FIG. 2. The exposed surface 714 can also be suitable for avoiding interference with eyelid motion while an opposing surface of the polymeric material is contact mounted to an eye, similar to the convex surface 224 of the eye-mountable device 210 discussed above in connection with FIG. 2. Thus, the electrodes 720, 722 can be mounted to an eye-facing surface and/or an outward facing surface of the substrate 730.

The electrodes 720, 722 can each be formed by patterning conductive materials on a substrate (e.g., by deposition techniques, lithography techniques, etc.). The conductive materials can be gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, silver, silver-chloride, aluminum, carbon, metals, conductors formed from noble materials, combinations of these, etc.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the working electrode 720 has a width w1 and the reference electrode has a width w2. The width w1 of the working electrode 720 can be, for example, less than 25 micrometers. In some embodiments, the width w1 can be about 10 micrometers. In some embodiments, the width w1 can be less than 10 micrometers. The width w2 can be selected such that the area of the reference electrode 722 (e.g., width w2 multiplied by length) is at least five times greater than the area of the working electrode 720 (e.g., width w1 multiplied by length). The lengths of the two electrodes 720, 722 can be approximately equal and can be, for example, 1 millimeter. The height (“thickness”) of the electrodes 720, 722 can be, for example, about 0.5 micrometers. Where the lengths of the two electrodes 720, 722 are approximately equal, the ratio between electrode areas is given by the ratio of the widths w1 and w2. Thus, in some embodiments, the width w2 of the reference electrode 722 is at least five times greater than the width w1 of the working electrode 720.

The distance d1 between the electrodes 720, 722 can be substantially constant along the length of the electrodes 720, 722 (e.g., parts of the electrodes 720, 722 can be oriented as parallel bars and/or as concentric rings such that the distance d1 separating them is approximately constant). In some embodiments, the distance d1 is between about 10 micrometers and about 500 micrometers.

By situating the working electrode 720 and the reference electrode 722 on the same surface of the substrate 730, the electrodes 720, 722 can be arranged to be approximately coplanar, and the distance d1 separating the two electrodes 720, 722 can be measured substantially within a plane of the two electrodes.

The polymeric material 710 includes an interposed portion 712 that is situated between the two electrodes 720, 722. In this configuration, electrical current that is conveyed between the electrodes 720, 722 is passed through the interposed portion 712 of polymeric material 710. For example, such a current can be conveyed ionically (e.g., by electrolytes from the tear film that are absorbed in the polymeric material 710) while an amperometric current is generated by electrochemical reactions at the working electrode 720. The interposed portion 712 thus provides a current carrying medium between the electrodes 720, 722 that is analogous to an electrolyte-containing fluid medium. However, the interposed portion 712 of the polymeric material 710 can have a greater electrical resistance than a typical electrolyte-containing fluid medium. Because of the relatively high electrical resistance of the interposed portion 712, the current conveyed between the electrodes results in a voltage drop across interposed portion 712. However, by configuring working electrode 720 with sufficiently small dimensions (e.g., with a width w1 less than 25 micrometers), the current conveyed between electrodes 720 and 722 can be sufficiently small such that the voltage drop caused by the resistance of interposed portion 712 of the polymeric material 710 is inconsequential to the operation of the electrochemical sensor.

While such a current is conveyed between the two electrodes, the current density through the two electrodes 720, 722 is inversely proportional to the area of the respective electrodes 720, 722. As a result, the reference electrode 722 experiences a smaller current density than the working electrode 720 (e.g., at least five times less). The smaller current density allows the voltage on the reference electrode 722 to be relatively less affected by the conveyed current and thereby facilitates the operation of a potentiostat (or other control module) to apply a stable voltage difference between the electrodes 720, 722 while measuring the amperometric current through the working electrode.

A reagent layer 724 can be localized proximate the working electrode 720. The reagent layer 724 can sensitize the two-electrode electrochemical sensor to an analyte of interest For example, glucose oxidase can be employed to detect glucose by catalyzing glucose oxidation to generate hydrogen peroxide, which is then oxidized at the working electrode 720. The reagent layer 724 can be fixed to wholly or partially surround the working electrode 720, for example. In some embodiments, the reagent layer 724 can be fixed proximate only the working electrode 720, and not the reference electrode 722. In some embodiments, a reagent layer can be overlaid to cover both electrodes 720, 722.

FIG. 7B illustrates an example non-coplanar arrangement for electrodes in a two-electrode electrochemical sensor. In particular, FIG. 7B shows a perspective cross-sectional view of electrodes mounted on a substrate 760 that is covered by a layer polymeric material 740. Thus, the two-electrode electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode 750 and a reference electrode 752, and the polymeric material 740 includes a portion 741 (indicated by dashed lines) that covers the electrodes 750, 752. In some examples, polymeric material 740 has an exposed surface 742 that can be a surface configured to contact mounted to a corneal surface of an eye, similar to the concave surface 226 of the eye-mountable device 210 discussed above in connection with FIG. 2. The exposed surface 742 can also be suitable for avoiding interference with eyelid motion while an opposing surface of the polymeric material is contact mounted to an eye, similar to the convex surface 224 of the eye-mountable device 210 discussed above in connection with FIG. 2. Thus, the electrodes 750, 752 can be mounted to an eye-facing surface and/or an outward facing surface of the substrate 760.

The substrate 760 can be shaped as a flattened ring suitable for being mounted within an eye-mountable polymeric material, similar to the substrates described above. The reference electrode 752 and the working electrode 750 are mounted to the substrate 740 to be non-coplanar. That is, the electrodes 750, 752 can be mounted with the working electrode 750 stacked over the reference electrode 752 such that the working electrode 750 is a greater distance from the exposed surface 742 of the polymeric material 740 than the working electrode 750. As a result, where the exposed surface 742 is mounted over an eye, the working electrode 750 is closer to the surface of the eye than the reference electrode 752 by the distance d2 separating the two electrodes 750, 752. The separation distance d2 between the two electrodes 750, 752 is therefore measured transverse to the planes of the two electrodes.

The dimensions of the working electrode 750 and the reference electrode 752, respectively can be similar to the dimensions of the working electrode 720 and the reference electrode 722 described above in connection with FIG. 7A. For example, the area of the reference electrode 752 can be at least five times greater than the area of the working electrode 750.

Current between the electrodes 750, 752 can be conveyed through an interposed portion 762 of the polymeric material 740. Electrical current can be carried ionically between the electrodes 750, 752 through interposed portion 762 in a manner similar to the interposed portion 712 described in connection with FIG. 7A above.

A reagent layer 754 can be localized proximate the working electrode 750. The reagent layer 754 can sensitize the two-electrode electrochemical sensor to an analyte of interest For example, glucose oxidase can be employed to detect glucose by catalyzing glucose oxidation to generate hydrogen peroxide, which is then oxidized at the working electrode 750. The reagent layer 754 can be fixed to wholly or partially surround the working electrode 750, for example. In some embodiments, the reagent layer 754 can be fixed proximate only the working electrode 750, without being proximate the reference electrode 752. In some embodiments, a reagent layer can be overlaid to cover both electrodes 750, 752.

The electrode arrangements described in connection with FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B above can be employed in any of the electrochemical sensors described herein. Moreover, some embodiments of the present disclosure can include electrode arrangements that combine aspects from the parallel bar arrangement discussed in connection with FIG. 6A and from the concentric ring arrangement discussed in connection with FIG. 6B. Additionally or alternatively, some embodiments of the present disclosure can include electrode arrangements that combine aspects from the coplanar arrangement discussed in connection with FIG. 7A and from the non-coplanar arrangement discussed in connection with FIG. 7B. For example, the electrodes 520, 522 of the electrochemical analyte sensor described in connection with FIG. 5 can be arranged as non-coplanar flattened rings (as described in connection with FIGS. 6A and 7B, for example) or as approximately coplanar parallel bars (as described in connection with FIGS. 6B and 7A, for example). Similarly, the electrochemical sensors 260 and 320 described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3 can be implemented with sensor electrodes arranged similarly to the electrodes 620, 622 in FIG. 6A, the electrodes 630, 632 in FIG. 6B, the electrodes 720, 722 in FIG. 7A, and/or the electrodes 750, 752 in FIG. 7B.

When the dimensions of the working electrode in any of the configurations described herein are made sufficiently small (e.g., a width of less than 25 micrometers, about 10 micrometers, or less than 10 micrometers) the current passing through the working electrode can be in the nA range. At such low currents, the diffusion layer thickness induced at these electrodes is very small (on the order of a few micrometers). As a result, the diffusion of analytes to the electrode is extremely efficient and a steady state current can be obtained. In some embodiments, the induced consumption (electrolysis) of analytes is also decreased and a continuous mode of operation of the sensor can be realized. The relatively small diffusion layer associated with a small-dimensioned working electrode can also reduce adverse effects associated with the mass transfer of analytes to the electrode surface, such as noise caused by irregular mass transfer of analytes.

By configuring the working electrode with sufficiently small dimensions (e.g., a width of less than 25 micrometers, about 10 micrometers, or less than 10 micrometers), the charging current resulting from the capacitive effects of the electrode-electrolyte interface can beneficially be reduced. This is because the capacitive current is proportional to the electrode area.

In general, configuring a working electrode as a microelectrode with a dimension less than 25 micrometers (or less than 10 micrometers) can provide various advantages over larger-dimensioned electrodes. Moreover, the smaller currents associated with microelectrode-sized working electrodes makes them particularly well suited for their use in a medium with high resistance, such as the polymeric materials that may be used in the eye-mountable devices described herein.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An eye-mountable device, comprising: a transparent polymeric material having an eye-facing surface and an outward facing surface, wherein the transparent polymeric material is configured to be mounted in front of an eye surface, and wherein the transparent polymeric material includes a channel in the outward facing surface; a substrate at least partially embedded within the polymeric material; an antenna disposed on the substrate; a two-electrode electrochemical sensor disposed on a surface of the substrate and including: a working electrode having a width dimension equal to or less than 25 micrometers, wherein the width dimension is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate; and a reference electrode having an area at least five times greater than an area of the working electrode; and a controller electrically connected to the electrochemical sensor and the antenna, wherein the controller is configured to: (i) apply a voltage between the working electrode and the reference electrode sufficient to generate an amperometric current related to the concentration of an analyte in a fluid to which the eye-mountable device is exposed; (ii) measure the amperometric current; and (iii) use the antenna to indicate the measured amperometric current, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are both exposed by the channel to provide direct contact with the fluid.
 2. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the channel is configured to fluidly connect an outer tear film layer to the working electrode and reference electrode while the transparent polymeric material is mounted in front of the eye surface.
 3. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the width dimension of the working electrode is approximately equal to 10 micrometers.
 4. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the width dimension of the working electrode is less than 10 micrometers.
 5. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are each disposed on the substrate so as to be approximately coplanar.
 6. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, further comprising a reagent that selectively reacts with the analyte, wherein the reagent is localized proximate the working electrode.
 7. The eye-mountable device according to claim 6, wherein the reagent is localized away from the reference electrode.
 8. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the antenna and the controller, wherein the power supply is configured to convert power from radio frequency radiation received by the antenna into electrical power and to supply the electrical power to the controller.
 9. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to indicate the measured amperometric current by modulating an impedance of the antenna.
 10. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemical sensor is situated on a mounting surface of the substrate proximate the outward facing surface of the polymeric material.
 11. The eye-mountable device according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is a substantially transparent vision correction lens and is shaped to provide a predetermined vision-correcting optical power.
 12. A system comprising: an eye-mountable device including: a transparent polymeric material having an eye-facing surface and an outward facing surface, wherein the transparent polymeric material is configured to be mounted in front of an eye surface, and wherein the transparent polymeric material includes a channel in the outward facing surface; a substrate at least partially embedded within the polymeric material; an antenna disposed on the substrate; a two-electrode electrochemical sensor disposed on a surface of the substrate and including: a working electrode having a width dimension equal to or less than 25 micrometers, wherein the width dimension is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate; and a reference electrode having an area at least five times greater than an area of the working electrode; and a controller electrically connected to the electrochemical sensor and the antenna, wherein the controller is configured to: (i) apply a voltage between the working electrode and the reference electrode sufficient to generate an amperometric current related to the concentration of an analyte in a fluid to which the eye-mountable device is exposed; (ii) measure the amperometric current; and (iii) use the antenna to indicate the measured amperometric current, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are both exposed by the channel to provide direct contact with the fluid such that operation of the two-electrode electrochemical sensor is substantially unaffected by a permeability of the transparent polymeric material to the analyte; and a reader including: one or more antennae configured to: transmit radio frequency radiation to power the eye-mountable device, and receive indications of the measured amperometric current via backscatter radiation received at the one or more antennae; and a processing system configured to determine a tear film analyte concentration value based on the backscatter radiation.
 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the channel is configured to fluidly connect an outer tear film layer to the working electrode and reference electrode while the transparent polymeric material is mounted in front of the eye surface.
 14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the width dimension of the working electrode is approximately equal to 10 micrometers.
 15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the width dimension of the working electrode is a microelectrode having at least one dimension less than 10 micrometers.
 16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are each disposed on the substrate so as to be approximately coplanar.
 17. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a reagent that selectively reacts with the analyte, wherein the reagent is localized proximate the working electrode.
 18. The system according to claim 12, wherein the eye-mountable device further includes a power supply disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the antenna and the controller, wherein the power supply is configured to convert power from radio frequency radiation received by the antenna into electrical power and to supply the electrical power to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to indicate the measured amperometric current by adjusting an impedance of the antenna included in the eye-mountable device, and wherein the reader is configured to wirelessly sense the impedance of the antenna.
 19. A method comprising: applying a voltage between a working electrode and a reference electrode sufficient to cause electrochemical reactions at the working electrode, wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are disposed on a surface of a substrate embedded within an eye-mountable device that includes a transparent polymeric material having an eye-facing surface and an outward facing surface, wherein the transparent polymeric material is configured to be mounted in front of an eye surface, and wherein the transparent polymeric material includes a channel in the outward facing surface, wherein the working electrode has a width dimension equal to or less than 25 micrometers, wherein the width dimension is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, wherein the reference electrode has an area at least five times greater than an area of the working electrode, and wherein the working electrode and the reference electrode are both exposed by the channel to a fluid such that the electrochemical reactions are related to a concentration of an analyte in the fluid, wherein the fluid enters the channel and forms direct contact with both of the working and reference electrodes; while applying the voltage, measuring an amperometric current through the working electrode; and wirelessly indicating the measured amperometric current via an antenna embedded within the eye-mountable device.
 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the width dimension of the working electrode is less than or approximately equal to 10 micrometers. 